Filing equipment



May 29, l923.

J. T. QUIGLEY FILING EQUIPMENT Filed Nov. lO 1919 4 Sheets-Sheet l Lawson R. L6 .CHI H. R.

/ f 2 KL =omard J.c.

M 1c limi/laid AM. /mqacm Robert Jepha@ by@ May 29, E923. 11,456,677

J. T. QUGLEY FILING EQUIPMENT Filed NOV. lO 1919 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 l I I Il I' I l 4V4 3M g g J. T. QUIGLEY FILING EQUIPMENT Filed Nov.

. Lawson J. R

fwlnclponala AM. /Macnf Robert, /MIaaaen 1.0. /Miaapiz/son (Teo May 29, i923.

May 29, 1923.

J. T. QUIGLEY FILING EQUIPMENT Filed Nov. lO 1919 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 fc@ ff Patented May 29, 1923.

UNHTD STATSPATENT OFFHQE.

JOHN T. QUIGLEY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO COSTMETER COMPANY,

OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

FILING EQUIPMENT.

Application inea November 1o, 1919. serial No. 336,885.

Z '0 all Hzom. if may concern:

Be it known that I- JOHN T. QVYGLEY. a citizen of the United States. and a. resident of Boston. county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts. have invented an Improvelment in Filing Equipments, of which the following description. in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, `like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to filing equipments of the class in which the sheets are arranged in overlapping relationship, and will be best. understood by reference tothe following description. when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings of one specific embodiment thereof, while its scope will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims,

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a filing equipment exemplifying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an eleva-tion of the saaie viewed from the side opposite to that -which is shown in Fig. 1. some of the sheets on the nearer side being omitted, the better to illustrate the mode of supporting the sheets on the farther side;

Fig. 3 is an elevation similar to Fig. 1. but illustrating the mode of removing or replacing one of the sheets;

Fig. 4 is an elevation of one ofthe sheets and an associated sheet support;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale on line 5 5 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. is a sectional View on an enlarged scale on line 6 6 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, and to the embodiment of my invention which I yhave selected for exemplification, I have shown a filing equipment comprising a series of overlapping sheets 7. whose overlapping margins may be and are herein provided with suitable identifications constituting an index. The sheets may be of ene size, or of different sizes. and the mounting is such that sheets of various dimensions may be employed in the equipment. without change in its construction, other than to supply sheets of the desired size. In case it is desired to subdivide the sheets of a group according to classes. a sheet sucl: as the sheet 7 may be inserted at the desired point, In the present example. this sheet extends laterally beyond the lateral edges of the other sheets, and

herein presents au index;` tab indicating the lilmits of two adjacent sub-divisions of the The sheets overlie one side of a suitable guide or guides, herein a pair of guides 8 extending transversely of the sheets, and in the present example, the latter extend some distance beyond the guides, s0 that they overhang the same. as well illustrated in the upper portion of Fig. 3. In the present instance, I have provided a double-faced file: that. is to say one in which there are two Sets of sheets facing in opposite directions, and arranged back to back. with sufficient space between them to prevent any possibility of intereference of one set with the other. In such case` the guides may be conveniently formed of a strip of sheet metal bent into the form of a channel bar 9, in which the guides 8 constitute flanges. as clearly shown in Fig. 5. The ends of these channel bars may be suitably supported, as by bars 10 extending transversely of the channel bars 9, andv in the present example. the bars 10 are formed of a singlepiece of wire, presenting two pintles 11 at one side of the sheets, and a bar 12 at the other. The piutles 11 may serve as one member of a hinge of usual construction, on which the group of sheets may be swung to and fro, while the bar 12 may serve as a handle to facilitate the swinging of the frame. The bar 12 also serves as a guard to protect the adjacent edges of the sheets. The bars 9 may be suitably secured to the bars 10, as by soldering.

Each of the sheets is associated with a suitable sheet support. herein comprising a bar 13, best shown in Figs. 4 and 5. It will be remembered that cach sheet overlies one side of its guide or guides. Each sheetfholder likewise overlies the other .side of the guide or guidesl In other words, each guide is interposed between portions of the sheets on the one hand, and portions of the sheet supports on the other hand. This is Well illustrated at the right and left hand sides of Fi 5.

n the present embodiment, the sheet supporting bar 13 consists of a perferabl Hat tempered steel strip, and it is appropriately secured to the sheet. as by providing the latter with two pairs of perforations 14, through which the strip is threaded in a manner clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the

lo i drawn from behindthe guides. If it be vdesired to remove.a given sheet, the file is terminal portions 15 of the bar 13 projecting in opposite directions from the outermost perforations, while the intermediate portion 16 connects the innermostperforations.

Preferably, the terminal and intermediate portions are offset, as by bending the bar, as lclearly shown in Fig. 5. This offset of the bar has two advantages; first, it prevents excessive bending of the sheet, and, second, it provides a better support for the adjacent edge of the next adjacent sheet than would `be the case if a straight bar were' employed. This is well illustrated in Figs. 2 and 6, wherein the lower edge of each sheet is shown resting upon the upper edge of the bar`which is attached to the sheet next below. The construction is such that the sheets are held with accuracy and certainty, and their overlapping margins present uniform areas for the identlfylng matter of the index.

The degree of offset of the bars 13 may be varied to suit the circumstances, it being evident that, by increasing the amount of offset of the terminal portions 15, the friction of the sheets and sheets supports will be decreased, and, on the other hand, by reducing the amount of offset, the friction will be increased. The friction should be such that the sheets can be moved readily at will, lengthwise of the guides 8, but will remain where they are placed, even though the flebe placed in an upright position. This is well illustrated in Fig. 3, in which a group of sheets is shown displaced in an upward direction from the remainder to facilitate the removal of one of the sheets, the latter being shown swung into an angular position, s'o that the terminal portions of the supporting bar are withopened at that point byssimply grasping the upper edge of the next adjacent card' above -such point, and then exerting a force in an upward direction, thereby displacing an entire group of cards upwardly. There is then presented an open space 'permitting the removal of the desired card in the manner clearly shown in Fig. 3. The card may be vreplaced by a reversal of the foregoing operation.

The file possesses many advantages, among them being the fact that sheets previously filed in a drawer may be perforated by the yuser to receive the supporting bars. The sheets may then be assembled in a frame in the manner hereinbefore described. The advantage to the user is obvious, since it is evident that it is unnecessary to copy the records onto a new set of sheets `in changing from a drawer file to one of the overlapping type. Another advantageis that cards of different sizes may be used in the` Same frame, this being an advantage to the` manufacturer, as well as to the user. Likewise, the sheet supporting bars may be of one size and yet support cards of various dimensions. Still another advantage is the ease with which the cards may be reclassified from time to time.

Having thus described one embodiment of my invention, but without limiting myself thereto, what I claim and desireby Letters Patent to secure is:

1. In an indexed file, the combination of a guide, a series of overlapping sheets overlying one side of said guide and having overlapping margins presenting identifications, and a series of bars secured to said sheets, respectively, overlying the other side of said guide, and maintaining a minimum exposure of said margins.

2. In a self-indexing file, the combination of a series ofoverlapping sheets presenting overlapping identiiication-receiving margins, a series of bars secured to said sheets, respectively, and maintaining' a minimum exposure of said margins, and a guide interposed between portions of said sheets on the one hand and portions of saidsheet carriers on the other hand.

3. In a self-indexing file, thecombination of a series of overlapping sheets presenting overlapping identiication-receiving margins, a series of bars secured to said sheets, respectively, and maintaining a minimum exposure of said margins, and presenting tongues extending toward opposite edges, respectively, of said sheets, and a mounting extending between said tongues and said sheets.

l 4. In a. file, the combination 'of a series of overlapping sheets, a series of sheet, carriers secured to said sheets, respectively, and each presenting a support -for the adjacent edge of the next adjacent sheet, and a guide in-` terposed between portions of said sheets on the one hand and portions of said sheet carriers on the other hand.

5. In a file, the combination of a series of overlapping sheets, a series of sheet supports secured to and extending parallel with adjacent edges of said sheets, respec tively, and each presenting a support for the adjacent edgeof'th'e next adjacent sheet, and a mounting extending between portions of said sheets on ,the one hand and portions of said sheet supports on the other hand.

6. In a file, the combination of a ser-ies of overlapping sheets, a series of sheet supports secured to and extending parallel with adjacent edges of said sheets, respectively, and each presenting a sustaining part offset from said sheet and supportin the adjacent edge of the next adjacent s eets, and a mounting extending between portions of said sheets onthe one hand and portions of said sheet supports on the other hand.

7. In a' file, the combination of a series of overlapping' perforated sheets, a series of sheet supports extending through the perforations of said sheets, respectively, and each presenting a supportfor the adjacent= edge ot the next adjacent sheet, and a guide interposed between portions of `said sheets on the one hand and portions of said sheet supports on the other hand.

8. In a file, the combination ofra series of overlapping perforated sheets, a series of sheet supports extending through the perforations of said sheets, respectively, parallel with adjacentedges of said sheets. respectively, and each presenting a sustaining part supporting the adjacent edge of the next adjacent sheet, and a mounting extendingr between portions oit' said sheets on the one hand and portions of said sheet supports on the other hand.

9. In a tile, the combination of a series of overlapping perforated sheets, a. series of sheet supports extending through the perforations of said sheets. respectively. parallel with adjacent edges of said sheets. respectively, each support presenting terminal vportions extending toward opposite edges, respectively. of its sheet. and each support having an intermediate portion presenting a support for the adjacent edge ot the next adjacent sheet, and a mounting extending between portions of said sheets and said terminal portions otl said sheet supports.

10./ In a tile, the combination ot a series Vof overlapping perforated sheets. a series ot' sheet supports extending through the perforations of said sheets, respectively. parallel with adjacentedges ot' said sheets. respectively. each support presenting ofl'sct terminal portions extending toward opposite edges, respectively, of its sheet. and each support having an offset intermediate portion presenting a support for the adjacent edge 'of the next adjacent sheet, and a mounting extending between portions of said sheets and said terminal portions of said sheet supports.

11. In a tile, the combination of a series ot overlapping perforated sheets, a series of sheet supports extending through the perforations ot said sheets, respectively, parallel with adjacent edges of said sheets, respectively, each support being bent to present offset terminal portions and an otfset intermediate portion supporting the adjacent edge of the next adjacent sheet, andl a mounting extending between portions of said sheets and said terminal portions.

12. In a tile, the combination of a sheet provided with a plurality of perforations,

and a sheet support threaded through said perforations and having a portion offset from the adjacent face of said sheet.

18. In'a file, the. combination of a sheet provided with a plurality of perforations. and a sheet support threaded through said perforations'ar'id having intermediate two perforations'a portion ofset from the adjacent face of said sheet. A

14. In a tile, the combination of a vsheet provided with two pairs of perfoiations. and a sheet support threaded through said perforations. said support having terminal portions projecting in opposite directions from the outermost pertorations and an inv terlnediate portion connectmg the lnnermost perforations.

15. In a file` the combination ot a series ot overlapping sheets including one which extends laterally beyond the adjacent sheets, and means to maintain said sheetl in its laterally-extended position and to prevent its accidental inward displacement.

1o. In a file` the combination of a series vof: overlapping sheets including one'which extends laterally beyond the' adjacent sheets and is provided with an identification on its la{orally-extending part.

1T. In a file. the combination ot' a series of overlapping sheets including one which is substantially larger than the adjacent sheets and divides the sheets into two groups.

18. In a file. the combination of a series ofl overlapping slicets'including one which is substantially larger than the adjacent sheets and divides the sheets into -two groups, such sheet being provided with an identification relating to one of said groups.

19. In a file, the combination ota series ot sheets presenting to view at one time a succession of identification-receiving overlapping margins, one of Which sheets is provided with means of classifying a series of said sheets.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this'specification.

JOHN T. QUIGIY. 

